From South Side to Sinatra: Mike Smith still embodies Chicago jazz
By Mike Davis Mike Smith still remembers the first time Frank Sinatra yelled at him. “He’d turn around and give you this look that went right through you…” Smith said. “One time Sinatra yelled at me that it was too loud. So, I brought everybody down and we played softer. The next night he came […]
Fukushima: Six Years Later Is It Safe to Go Back?
By Urvashi Verma Nearly six years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, environmental activists are raising alarms that radiation levels are still dangerously high, despite the Abe government’s reassurances that thousands of residents can return home. Last week the Japanese government lifted the evacuation orders in the Fukushima prefecture citing radiation measurement levels under 100 mSv […]
Second City student prepares for the main stage
By Stephanie Rothman Second City is a Chicago institution, yet you may not understand what it takes to make it on the main stage. Before being allowed to audition to become a fully contracted Second City comedian, students must go through six levels of the Second City training program. Carly Glenn was two shows away […]
DeVry stock poised for further gains, despite declining enrollment
By Karen Lentz Shares of Downers Grove-based career college chain DeVry Education Group Inc. have soared nearly 40 percent since the presidential election in November, and analysts see more opportunity ahead for investors. Shares closed Tuesday at $33, after getting a bump last week from the March 6 U.S. Department of Education announcement that gainful […]
Small-business sentiment slips, but still near all-time high
By Mindy Tan Optimism amongst small-business owners slipped in February and fell short of analyst expectations, even as it remained at one of its highest readings in 43 years, according to the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Optimism Index. The index fell 0.6 points in February to 105.3; this is short of analysts’ […]
High School Coaches ‘Leave No Stone Unturned’ in Helping Players Explore Next Level
By Andres Waters After Loyola Academy held off rival New Trier 43-40 to win the 2017 Zion-Benton regional championship, Ramblers head coach Tom Livatino had a special message for his players. “That’s the best celebration that I have ever been a part of,” Livatino said. “Because everybody was completely about love. You guys love each […]
Cleantech accelerators bridge gap left by traditional venture capital
By Hannah Levitt Chicago-based clean energy technology accelerators are playing an increasingly large role in bringing cleantech startups to market by providing them with funding as well as structural and scale-up support. According to Clean Energy Trust Director of Technology Development Ben Gaddy, the number of cleantech accelerators is growing in response to the specific […]
For decades, Kuni’s in Evanston stays true to sushi tradition
By Katherine Hyunjung Lee On Saturday afternoon, two elderly Japanese women sat at the sushi bar at Kuni’s Japanese Restaurant in Evanston. They were waiting for their “omakase,” or chef’s choice, sushi lunch. Yuji Kunii, the sushi chef and owner of the store, stood behind the sushi bar, carefully making a series of exquisitely shaped […]
Legendary Chicago bathhouse sees growth since welcoming women
By Hannah Levitt For those suffering in the arctic tundra that is a Chicago winter, Red Square Spa, a traditional Russian bathhouse located at 1914 W. Division St. in the Wicker Park neighborhood, is a spot to warm the body and the soul. The bathhouse, which has been in operation since 1906, has wet and […]
Rising wholesale prices support interest rate hike
By Yemeng Yang U.S. wholesale prices increased in February due to rising energy and service prices, clearing any doubt that the Federal Reserve will raise rates at this week’s meeting. The Producer Price Index, or PPI, for final demand–goods sold as personal consumption, capital investment, government purchases, and exports–increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3 percent after […]